The Saint Joseph County Housing Authority's jurisdiction is OUTSIDE the city limits of South Bend and Mishawaka. You will NOT be allowed to lease up within the city limits of South Bend or Mishawaka.The voucher is good for the RURAL parts of St. Joseph County. If you receive a voucher from SJCHA, you will be required to lease up and live in our jurisdiction for the first year.

On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the Saint Joseph County Housing Authority (SJCHA) will open the waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Section 8 Program. The HCV Program is funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist very low-income families with rental payments.

• The preliminary application will be available online ONLY at Waitlistcheck | St. Joseph County Housing Authority beginning 9:00 AM, Tuesday, May 6, 2025 and will close at 9:00 AM Thursday, May 8, 2025. All applications are electronic. Paper applications will not be distributed or accepted.
• If a disabled person requires a reasonable accommodation to complete the application, call 574-656-3545 or email waitinglist.sjcha@gmail.com prior to noon on Monday, May 5, 2025.
• There are no fees associated with applying for the waiting list, and any websites requesting a fee to apply are not legitimate and are not related to the housing authority.
• Interested persons without access to the internet may go to locations with computers for public use, such as public libraries. If you need assistance in another language, Google Translate is available to assist you during the application process. Only one application per family will be accepted. Duplicates will be eliminated. Completion of the application does not guarantee placement on the 2025 Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Waitlist.
• Selection is based on the SJCHA’s system for preference and lottery. Local preferences are ranked in accordance with the SJCHA’s hierarchy of preferences, and each preference is weighted individually. A family may qualify for more than one preference category. 500 applications will be chosen through a lottery system.
  • Jurisdictional Preference: This preference is available to families who live in or include a family member that works in the jurisdiction of SJCHA or is a person who has been hired to work in the jurisdiction of the SJCHA. The jurisdiction of SJCHA is the rural area of St. Joseph County, IN. (towns of Walkerton, North Liberty, Roseland, Lakeville, New Carlisle, Osceola, Granger, and any five (5) digit street address in the rural area of St. Joseph County); OUTSIDE the city limits of South Bend or Mishawaka.
  • Residency Preference: This preference is available to families who live in St. Joseph County, IN.
  • Disability Preference: This preference is extended to disabled persons or families with a disabled member
  • Elderly Preference: This preference is extended to a family whose head, spouse or sole member is age 62 or older
  • Veteran’s Preference: This preference is available to current members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, or surviving spouses of veterans.